The present invention relates to an electrical power outlet adaptor that is adapted for use in parking garages and other facilities were standard electric power outlets are not permanently available. An electrical adaptor made in accordance with the present invention temporarily converts a standard industrial lighting fixture fitting of the type that is typically installed in parking garages to a power outlet to provide a convenient source of electric power for use by maintenance and repair crews.
As with any other type of building, parking garages require maintenance and repair. Utilities such as lighting and plumbing systems, stairways, elevators, safety railings, and structural features of the garage require periodic attention. In addition, painting and cleaning may be needed. These activities require the use of a variety of power tools, including drills, sanders, painting compressors, lighting for work crews, etc. Maintenance and repair crews working in parking garages need a convenient source of electric power to operate tools and equipment in order to perform the necessary maintenance or repair operations. This need, however, has not been met.
Parking garages tyically do not contain permanent electric power outlets. Consequently, it is inconvenient and expensive to provide electric power to work crews in parking garages. Maintenance and repair crews working in parking garages, therefore, do not have ready access to a convenient or inexpensive source of electric power for their power tools and equipment.
Although parking garages typically contain electrical appliances and devices, such as lighting fixtures, elevators, etc., permanent electric power outlet are generally not installed in such facilities for a variety of reasons. First, apart from maintenance or repair functions, standard electric power outlets are not generally needed in a parking garage. Second, permanent electrical outlets would enable persons using the garage to make unauthorized use of the electric current supplied by these outlets. In addition, permanent electric fixtures may pose potential hazards. Toxic and explosive fumes, such as gasoline fumes, may rise to dangerous levels in parking garages. The existence or use of exposed, permanently mounted electric power outlets may pose a hazard of explosion.
Maintenance and work crews, however, need a source of electric power to operate power tools. The lack of permanent power outlets in garages has posed substantial problems. In the past people have attempted to resolve these problems in several ways. Electrical power is supplied to maintenance and work crews either through the use of extension cords from nearby electrical outlets or through the use of portable electric generating equipment. Typically, crews bring with them to a parking garage portable electric power generating equipment to provide a temporary source of electric power.
Both of these approaches, however, have significant drawbacks. The use of extension cords is expensive, cumbersome, and potentially dangerous. First, extension cords are regularly exposed to extremes of temperature, abrasion, stretching, and a multitude of other abuses. Extension cords that are able to withstand the severe use conditions in parking garage facilities are expensive. Second, extension cords can be inconvenient to use, particularly in multi-level garages. Third, the use of extension cords poses a tripping hazard to pedestrians. In addition, the extension cords typically lie on the garage floor where they are run over by vehicles and other equipment and, therefore, are vulnerable to damage. Extension cords may be cut, disconnected, or partially disconnected, exposing wires carrying live electric current and posing a potential shock or explosion hazard. Extension cords, however, canot be used in all facilities. Their use is limited to only those facilities having electric power outlets available nearby.
The most widely used alternative is portable electric generating equipment. Under this approach, maintenance or repair crews would bring with them to the facility portable electric generating equipment, such as gasoline or diesel fuel-powered generators. This equipment, however, is expensive, and is costly and difficult to maintain. Fuel must be supplied to the generating equipment. Portable electric generating equipment is prone to frequent breakdown, causing lost work time and additional expenses for replacement equipment. Crews often use backup generators, further increasing the cost of providing a source of electric power. In addition, the generating equipment is noisy and gives off noxious exhaust fumes. These factors increase the inconvenience and discomfort associated with using portable generating equipment.
These approaches do not adequately address the problem of providing a convenient, inexpensive, and easy to use source of electric power to maintenance and repair crews in parking garage facilities.
An object of the invention is to provide a convenient source of electric power to maintenance and work crews in parking garages and other facilities that are not equipped with readily available electric power outlets.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a temporary electric power outlet in parking garages and other facilities where electric power outlets are not typically available.
A further object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive source of electric power for maintenance and work crews working in parking garages and other facilities.
An additional object of the present inventionis to eliminate the inconvenience and risk to pedestrians and users of parking garage and similar facilities posed by the use of extension cords or portable generating equipment.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a temporary source of electric power is parking garage facilities for the convenience of maintenance and work crews while avoiding the expense, inconvenience, and hazards associated with theuse of either extension cords or portable generating equipment.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and detailed by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.